U.S. Drought To Affect Food Prices

When looking at the U.S. Drought Monitor for the week of July 16, almost every state is at least experiencing abnormally dry conditions, but a majority of states fall under the moderate, severe and extreme drought categories.

This drought is bad news for farmers and may soon mean a rise in food prices too. A HuffPost Green article reported grain prices in the Midwest are “near or past records.” Prices for soybeans, corn and other crops have increased as well. They spoke with U.S. Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsak, who said a rise in grain prices could mean higher meat and poultry prices in the future.

Burger King’s Lettuce Fiasco

A Cleveland Burger King employee caused quite a stir this week after posting a picture of himself standing on two tubs of lettuce. The L.A. Times said there were actually three employees involved in the incident, all of which have been fired.

Burger King released a statement that said “food safety is a top priority at all Burger King restaurants and the company maintains a zero-tolerance policy against any violations such as the one in question.”

The Latest on California’s Foie Gras Ban

On July 1, California banned the sale of foie gras, the fatty liver of an animal (typically ducks or geese). Restaurants caught serving the item can be fined up to $1,000. “Foie gras is usually produced through a process in which ducks or geese are force fed corn through tubes and inserted in their throats, a practice seen as inhumane by animal rights activists,” said a Northridge-Chatsworth Patch article.

The foie gras ban has caused an uproar by restaurants and patrons who serve or enjoy the menu item and many have even made attempts to reverse the ruling but have so far been unsuccessful. However, HuffPost Food reports restaurants are still finding ways to serve foie gras. Some of the loopholes restaurants have found have been stating they are on land owned by a federal agency (and not the state of California), serving it as free side dish or cooking foie gras brought in by customers.

Changes in Restaurant Bread Service

A complimentary bread basket is common in many restaurants, but things are beginning to change now that foodservices are providing more upscale options and charging for them.

MonkeyDish spoke with Professor Ezra Eichelberger of the Culinary Institute of America who said, “Bread is a sign of hospitality and it imparts a feeling of spirituality and sharing to guests, but you have to cover your costs.” He added customers are okay to upgrade as long as the bread is of higher quality, but providing free bread is beneficial to keep on the menu as well.

New York Trans Fat Regulation is Working

The ban on trans fats that New York City put into place five-years-ago is proving to be successful. CNN reported city health officials have discovered the amount of unhealthy fats customers have ate in fast food has drastically decreased.

Also, many of the large fast food chains such as McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut, etc., have actually implemented changes to locations nationwide in addition to New York City. The changes were subtle and many customers did not even notice them. These results come at a time when another controversial ban has been proposed, the sale of sugary beverages.

The Central Blog

Central Restaurant Products’ Foodservice Equipment & Restaurant Supply Blog—the latest information and trends on foodservice equipment, restaurant supplies and everything food for the foodservice professional. Come back often for the latest foodservice industry news, tips to help you run your restaurant more efficiently and more!